Newsletter

Readers of this column might recall that we thought that the National Newspaper Association had gotten relief some months ago from the requirement to submit a marked copy with each issue of the Periodical newspaper, only to find that change slip from our grasp.

Journalists are often thought of as being “word people” and even the most diligent reporter can blanche when faced with a thicket of figures. However, sidestepping or downplaying numbers can be perilous.

One item that distinguishes professional magicians from amateurs is the use of scripts. This is not to say that the professional will always recite – word for word – the same thing in each performance; however, the professional will always know what he or she is going to say.

The professional, whether a magician or a writer, will economize where possible and augment where necessary, and will know the appropriate time to do either.

Q: Our city clerk puts a boilerplate notice at the bottom of city council meeting agendas, notifying the public that the council may go into executive session under any of a number of exceptions allowing it under the Texas Open Meetings Act. The problem is, this council has a habit of going into executive session without stating exactly which TOMA exception they are using. I don’t think a reporter or anyone else should have to sit there for hours, wondering what council members are talking behind closed doors. Can you send something that fits a scenario like that?

Even if you are not working on a big investigation, a basic understanding of financial statements is essential for any reporter. They are a reliable source for news stories, and not just on the business beat.

The cliché “gild the lily” is a misquotation of a line from Shakespeare: “To gild refined gold, to paint the lily … is wasteful and ridiculous excess.” Correctly quoted or not, this common phrase refers to the unnecessary practice of embellishing something which doesn’t need embellishing.

The deadline for filing your Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation (PS Form 3526) with the U.S. Postal Service is Oct. 1 of each year. In addition, the statement must be published during the month of October.

The filing and publication of this form is a requirement for maintaining periodicals mailing privileges. Dailies must publish a completed copy of this form in their newspaper by Oct. 10, and non-dailies by October 31.

USPS revised PS form 3526 in 2014. The proper form to use has a July 2014 date at the very bottom of the form.

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About TPA

The association promotes the welfare of Texas newspapers, encourages higher standards of journalism, and plays an important role in protecting the public’s right to know as an advocate of First Amendment liberties.